


Runaway Bride

by MariaJonsson



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-05
Updated: 2014-04-05
Packaged: 2018-01-18 05:13:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1416358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MariaJonsson/pseuds/MariaJonsson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Catelyn won’t come out of her dressing room to wed Brandon and Ned comes to talk to her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Runaway Bride

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for Game of Ships Challenge on Tumblr - thought to post it here as well - hope you like it :)

Ned pulls his arm from Lysa Tully's tight grip.

"I'm sure she's just getting ready." Ned says.

"Then why isn't she answering me?" Lysa asks, panic written over her face, her blue eyes watery and Ned hopes she doesn’t start crying.

"Look, I'll go and talk to the grounds keeper about keys. Alright?" Ned tells her before walking off.

"Okay, but hurry." The girl says as he turns to leave.

Ned walks quickly outside to search for the man. The wedding was to start in five minutes and all the guests had arrived and Brandon was standing in front of the altar with Ben and Edmure waiting for the wedding to start.

"Ned! What's going on?" Lyanna yells after him, pulling her bridesmaid dress up revealing the Doc Martens she is wearing underneath.

"Catelyn isn't answering the door and it's locked. So I'm looking for the keeper, have you seen him?" Ned asks.

Lyanna just shakes her head, falling very unladylike onto a chair. Pulling the skirt of her dress into her lap, sighing as she plants her boots on the table.

"So is this happening or not?" Lyanna asks with the dramatics only a seventeen year old could muster.

"Of course." Ned says with little conviction.

"Funny. I thought Brandon would be the one having wedding jitters. But I guess if you have so many side projects it isn't as terrifying to commit to someone for life." Lyanna mutters as she texts someone on her cell phone.

Ned growls only slightly and walks away before Lya can ask him anything else.

Ned can't see anyone outside except for the driver who's leaning against the limousine, that's supposed to take the newlyweds to the ballroom.

He's about to turn back when he sees a flash of red in his peripheral vision, when he turns he sees her running across the lawn. He doesn't even think before running after her, she's almost at the back parking lot when he catches up to her.

He takes three more steps and his arm locks around her waist pulling her to him. However she struggles against him almost punching him in the nose.

"Stop Catelyn! Stop!" Ned pleads as he puts her down on her feet.

Her hair is all still made up, if not a little tousled after their struggle, and she has makeup on her face, but she's wearing a sweatshirt and yoga pants that cling to her lithe form.

"Ned!" Catelyn exclaims, running a hand through her loose curls.

"Where are you going?" Ned asks.

"I can't do this. I thought I could, but I can't. It isn't right." She says, looking at the church, she is supposed to be getting married in.

"Can’t do what? Marry Brandon?" Ned asks, holding her hand in his, running circles on the back of her hand.

"Yes! I thought I could. I thought it was the only way, but it isn't worth it. It won't change anything." Catelyn says in a hysterical voice. "Please Ned."

Her river blue eyes are full of water and few tears escape, running down her powdered cheeks and all he wants to do is kiss them away, but that isn't his place. No his place is between Brandon and Ben in that church. Even if it kills him to admit, to admit that she does not belong to him, but to Brandon, his brother.

"Cat." His voice shakes as he uses all his willpower not to move.

"I can't do this Ned. I can’t marry Brandon if I don’t love him. I can't marry Brandon just so I can keep you in my life. It isn't right. I thought it was the only way. But it would be harder to see you and not be allowed to touch you, than to never see you again. To have to watch you with other women, to see you make a family that isn't mine.” Catelyn is crying in earnest now, her makeup running a bit as tears fall freely from her eyes.

I've done this to her. I've brought these tears to her eyes. It had only happened once and they had both agreed it could never go further nor happen again. But that one kiss was enough, enough to make him want to forsake all he has for just one more kiss.

"How is this not killing you? Standing by as I marry your brother." Catelyn asks, pulling her arms free from his grip.

"You think I enjoy this?" Ned asks, his heart beating so hard against his chest he feels it might burst out of his chest any minute.

"I don't know! What am I supposed to think?"

"He's my brother! Would you be asking this if it were Lysa and not Brandon that we were betraying?" Ned growls.

"I don't know. But it isn't Lysa and I don't think Brandon will care at all, he’ll probably just be grateful. Since he spent the night before our wedding with Ashara Dayne in the room next to mine." Catelyn screams, her voice cracking right at the end before she stalks away from him.

"What are you talking about?" Ned says, following after her.

"I'm talking about your brother fucking your ex-girlfriend on the day he is supposed to be marrying me." Catelyn says, pulling the door of her uncle's BMW open.

Should it bother him? Should he care at all that Brandon slept with his ex, when Ned is in love with Brandon’s fiancé? Who knows anymore? All he knows is he loves Catelyn and if she is willing to leave all this behind then so is he.

He grabs her arm again, pulling the keys from her fingers.

"I'll drive." He says when she tries to grab the keys from him. He shrugs his jacket off and throws it into the backseat before getting into the car.

Catelyn slides into the passenger seat, her fingertips black from wiping her tears, but she has never looked more beautiful and he pulls her hand into his, pressing a kiss to back of it before starting the car and driving off.

The End


End file.
